The space
Since Damian Griffiths closed up shop at Newstead’s Chester Street Bakery, the once lively space has stood dormant. Now, like a technicolour phoenix rising from the ashes, new owners have resurrected the venue as Hello Gorgeous. The swish bar comes from hospitality veteran Justinn DeBeer (ex-Brooklyn Standard) and his fiance, stylist Bea Berry. While inspecting the space at the start of 2018, the couple fell in love with the tenancy’s high ceilings and potential as a welcoming multi-faceted hotspot. Bea set about conjuring the venue’s eye-catching aesthetic, piecing together a vibrant colour scheme inspired by Catherine Martin’s La Palma wallpaper, which features prominently in Hello Gorgeous’ interior dining space. The bar’s colour palette features teals, blues, pinks, greens, reds, purples and gleams of brass throughout, as well as titanium gold linear chandeliers and neon signage further illuminating the abundance of hues. An exterior deck (that is dog-friendly) acts as a perfect perch for balmy nightcaps, while Justinn and Bea are in the planning stages of adding an upstairs function space and a possible rooftop bar in the future.
The food
Justinn and Bea have recruited Matthew Wrench (ex-Eleven Rooftop Bar) to helm the kitchen, working together to create a menu that favours seafood as the protein of choice. Raw plates of North Queensland cobia ceviche and tuna carpaccio open proceedings, followed by larger plates including roasted baby beetroot with Picandou Frais torched goats cheese, pan-seared cuttlefish on a bed of pomegranate and watercress, and new-season nectarines with Harrisfield Persian camel fetta. The main event offers up the likes of stuffed Fraser Island chilli crab, Shark Bay razor-back prawns with candied chilli, barbecued Western Australian baby octopus and Milly Hill lamb cutlets, capped off with sweets like cherry luxardo panna cotta and Valrhona chilli chocolate mousse.
The drink
Justinn has taken a unique approach to the array of beverages on offer at Hello Gorgeous, spearheading the drinks list with a temperance-style selection. For the uninitiated, temperance-style cocktails are lower in alcohol content, giving sippers the chance to sample a selection of drinks responsibly. Hello Gorgeous serves non-alcoholic cocktails using Seedlip’s three botanical-based blends, followed by a range of low-alcohol drinks (some appropriately named the Quiet Sunday and the Busy Monday) as well as a trio of lillet aperitifs. The rest of the drinks menu features a selection of house cocktails (including two frozen varieties), spritz and punch cocktails on tap, an extensive wine list, tap and bottled beers, and a who’s who of recognisable spirits in the back bar.
Hello Gorgeous is now open to the public. Get all the extra details in the Stumble Guide.
